I’ve recently become something of convert to Twitter (here I am) and one of my triumphant post match tweets was replied to by some Arsenal fan who I’ve never met in my life.
“Lemme guess (that means ‘let me’ in English)” he wrote, “you think that the balance of power has shifted (should have been a question mark there, but a desire to use punctuation is sadly lacking from most Tweeters).”
I replied as follows. “No I don’t think the balance of power has shifted. I simply think that you were 2-0 and f*cked it up.”
Apart from the knowledge that remaining humble in victory and confounding the expectations of simple-minded Gooners tends to wind them up even more, my reply sums up how I feel about the match. At half-time they could have had the game sewn up and it looked like things would get embarrassing. To our surprise, although things did indeed get embarrassing, it wasn’t us with the red faces.
Yes, we did look a much better team in the second half, with Defoe coming on, Van der Vaart giving us more numbers in midfield and Jenas remaining more disciplined, but we didn’t really play so well that we would have won without any help.
Our first goal was a great move, with Defoe doing his best impression of Peter Crouch and VDV putting through a lovely flick to allow Bale to finish calmly. From that moment on, Arsenal went into panic mode. The penalty they gave us was absolutely ridiculous and summed up the lack of fight they possess. Not only were they unwilling to take one in the face to prevent a goal, but Fabregas wasn’t even prepared to handball it himself and instead raised his team-mate’s arm up in the air to stop the ball.
The third goal came from a great free kick from Van der Vaart and a fine header from Kaboul, but in opposite circumstances, I would expect our defence and goalkeeper to have dealt with the situation.
So no, I don’t think that this win represents any shift of power, but I do maintain that it was very funny to watch. We’ll have to beat them regularly and finish above them in the league before we can really claim to be better than them, but until that day comes (if it ever does), we can laugh it up as plucky underdogs.
Instead of doing their best to remain aloof and look down their noses at us, even after letting slip a 2-0 lead at home, Arsenal fans would be better served by losing their rag at their team and their manager. Perhaps then, some of their team would grow a spine and Wenger would put his ego to one side and make the changes necessary for them to win trophies again.
Had we lost that game, I would be calling for the head of Heurelho Gomes and even despite the euphoria of victory, a simmering resentment remains. That first goal came about purely because Gomes was unwilling to put himself in where it hurts as Nasri broke through. Yes, he makes some spectacular saves, but that means nothing to me if he isn’t prepared to do the bread and butter stuff that even a keeper down your local park could muster.
I suppose that Arsenal fans have gone for so long with nothing to moan about, that it doesn’t come as naturally to them as it does to Tottenham supporters. They don’t do losing gracefully quite so naturally either.
Harry has said that we’re back in the title race. I don’t think we’re quite ready for that yet and frankly I don’t care. Days like Saturday are enough for me as a football fan. The impossible becoming possible and then actually bloody happening. That is why we watch football. That is why we watch Tottenham Hotspur. If they made a film about our club, it would have to be written and directed by those maniacs who made Crank.
you don’t even support arsenal and you can see what all us arsenal fans can see,it’s time for wenger to do one now,he’s stuck in his ways far to much to change.
I don’t agree with your assessment of the first goal. If you look again, I think Gomes was surprised by Nasri’s poor first touch. He reacted pretty quickly but was unlucky that the ball ricocheted into Nasri’s path. This was a brilliant victory…let’s just enjoy it asnd for once, not pick holes in our players…
I’m a Gooner. I don’t really like you lot. But you’re 100% right. You deserved it after the second half far more than we did over the 2 halves. The one thing that this shows to me is that there isn’t a huge difference between us now (the gap has been closing ever since ‘Arry took over really).
If the tables had been turned and you were 2-0 up and we won it would’ve been funny and I’d’ve told as many Spuds as I could that.
Overall you lot did well, we collapsed and make ourselves look like total dicks, but that doesn’t take away from what you lot did. Well done (Shit it pains me to say that!!!)
Good article, but I’d hazard a guess that Gomez’s hesitation was due to his recent sending off against Inter, rather than a reluctance to put himself at risk. COYS!
A decent blog- enjoy your win- you will rarely get so outplayed and still win a game. The pain of this will fire up Arsenal. We are only really dangerous when wounded- and when our backs are against the wall. Believe me our problems are in our heads and you lot have given us all the motivation we need. Thanks.
So we done you a favour then?
You’re welcome.
LOL – Looks like you carried that motivation all the way to the Braga game!!….oh…err….wait a minute? LOL
And respect to Scooch.
I think Gomes’ hesitation for the Nasri goal was all about being sent off against Inter. Normally he charges out in those sitiations. Nasri’s poor touch didn’t help. If anyone was to blame for the first goal, surely it is BAE who has a habit of losing an inside runner (Inter again).
Agree on Sherbert’s comment. I think Gomes knew that Nasri would be down lack a sack of s**t if he went anywhere near him and he’d be marching like at Inter.
Re Gomes, agree with Scotspur’s assessment but also think that the sending off at Inter may have played on his mind at that moment, hence a second’s hesitation.
Oh, Sherbert got there first!
I am all for a fair and subjective posts but I hazard a guess that Schooch is not an Arsenal fan and if he is then he doesnt really know the squad very well.
I think we all know the story, Arsenal played well but handed it to you. Its as fustratingly simple as that.
I agree with the article in the main but not sure what to make of “The penalty they gave us was absolutely ridiculous and summed up the lack of fight they possess.” A little sensationalist, something you would probably hear on MOTD.
The Carling Cup.
Why would you question who I supported and my knowledge of the squad? That baffles me.
If it’s me saying there’s not a huge difference between the two sides then surely the last couple of seasons have proved that? If not then I don’t know what the f**k you’re on about!!!
What baffles me is your use of teh english language:
“If it’s me saying there’s not a huge difference between the two sides then surely the last couple of seasons have proved that?”
Well because you used the word f**k i have to conceed and say wow what a passionate supporter you are. Well done.
In my opinion there is still a large difference between the clubs and the defeat was our own making. I think thats what the blog says. Kos really should have scored but perhaps we can agree to disagree.
You questioned me and then quoted when I questioned you! maybe I should’ve put it more simply for you…….
If it’s me saying “there’s not a huge difference between the two sides” then surely the last couple of seasons have proved that?…… Does the introduction of some Speech marks make it easier to understand there…? Maybe you could get someone to read it to you and explain.
And however much I hate to reiterate my argument regarding Spurs getting closer to us over the past couple of seasons, I feel I have to as they are getting closer. This is proved by the fact that they have beaten us on more than one occasion.
And, also, I hate to be pedantic you really shouldn’t call someone out on their English when you’re obviously not the sharpest tool in the box, eh?
Mr. Dan Fitch,
I have to say your article was spot on. And since you are a level headed ‘football’ fan, i’d like to congratulate you on a famous win, but i doubt the gap is closing and i doubt even more that the arsenal ballerina babes will ever man up. i’ve resigned myself to the fact that we have a dictator managing us who will carry on doing things his way with the same result every season. I one predicted this result, because the spurs have passion and a tactical manager. all we have are frogs that only turn up when they feel like it. i really hope you take our 4th spot so at last we see the back of the arsene the Wank*r at the end of this season. ENOUH IS ENOUGH.
Good article. From a pained Gooner.
You deserved to win and if you can add Benzema and one or two more we will have some great matches.
Looking forward to the rest of the season.
By the way, try not to believe that ‘gooner4life’ is a real supporter. He would be supporting his club if he was.
Congrats on getting the win, a 3rd win over us in the last few seasons shows the gap has undoubtedly closed. To be perfectly honest I don’t mind seeing Spurs doing better, you play good football and I was definately happier to see you qualify for the CL last season over City and Liverpool, simply because you play better football and because you haven’t done it by having a rich benefactor. What happened on Saturday is not a one-off for us these days, we’ve seen the likes of Hull do similar to us over the last couple years and losses to WBA and West Brom at home this season meant that this was not entirely unexpected. This one was undoubtedly the most painful though 🙂
Good article & spot on, I agree there’s no shift in power in North London yet, but we’re getting there, results against Bremen & then the Scousers on Sunday could make this a season defining week. Its all about self belief, VDV & Bale have it in bucket loads & its starting to filter through to the whole squad, COYS
Great blog, very balanced and definitely great to see a blog where we are not gloating at what was/is a great result; but, as the players and Harry has iterated, it is only three points…but much, much more than “JUST” three points for the fans!
In reference to “being back in the title race”, I believe that people are beginning to “sensationalise” Harry’s comments. Anyone with any modicum of ambition must surely develop a mindset where they are competing to win…and all Harry is saying is that we have the squad and he team that makes us as capable as any other team in the League to win the title. All Harry is doing is taking a leaf out of Billy Nick’s mantra where he stated that “At Tottenham we will set our sight high, so high in fact that even failure will have echoes of glory” Actually that was the essence of what Nicholson said and I might not have quoted correctly.
Harry said that our goal must be to win the title and if we come second or third, that will also be OK. My fellow yiddos, we should expect nothing less from our manager and our players; they must have as their goal, the league title and they must go all out to try and make that a reality…ig it does not happen, Ok, we might not be too depressed if we end up second, third or fourth!
Good times ahead…roll on Wednesday!!!
Funny how many gooners posted comments to this article.
As one myself I appreciate balanced viewpoints either side of the divide and this article sums that up perfectly.
All rivalries aside, fair play – we f*cked it up and you took your chance. Your team is quality and, taking off my red and white tinted spectacles, I definitely appreciate your style of football over, say, City’s or Chelsea’s.
The season still has a long way to go though and it looks as open as anything in my opinion. From our perspective we’ve lost three at home and we’re two points off the top. Crazy.
Stinging…but all fair comment from the author. 2-0 and and we could have swept you from the place. We came out expecting to do that. As soon as it didn’t seem possible, Wenger falied to act at 2-1. What I would have done would have been to quickly bring on players who can get stuck in and shut it down. Bendtner, van Persie and Wilshere all know how to kick a bit, professional foul, and slow things down…and defending from the front isn’t such a bad idea (see Barca for a good example).
Arsenal’s backbone went the moment Chelsea got Essien ahead of us, and we haven’t purchased a destroyer since. Song is very good, but he’s not a leader, and thats what lacking on the field.
Interesting to read so many balanced comments from gooner’s, but it’s a nice change from all the bitter crap I’ve read on another blog. I’m under no illusions about the implications of this result – it’s 1 match albeit a stunning result for a team that’s famed for epic collapses in the past. Let’s see what the rest of this rather interesting season brings.
Indeed, this seems to be a very rare oasis of constructive opinion around today.
The collapse was very Tottenham of them, nice to be on the winning end for once. Has the balance shifted? No, not yet. Are Tottenham going in the right direction and closing the gap? No question.
Is it us getting better, Arsenal getting worse or just a general degredation in the quality in the premier league? Never mind Tottenham and Arsenal, how many EPL players would get in the starting line ups of Real or Barca? Rooney and Torres on top form, Fabregas, Drogba, maybe Tevez and Gerrard at a stretch? Bale ;-)?
The balance has shifted alright. To the continent, specifically Spain. Without the weakness of the pound and the ludicrous debt some of the clubs are in, it’s unthinkable the likes of Huntelaar, Ribery, Robben, Diarra, Benzema, Ibrahimovic (when he was up for grabs) wouldn’t be playing their trade at Chelsea/Man U rather than Germany, Italy, and Spanish benches 5 years ago. Gone are the days of Chelsea/Man U splashing 35m on a player, so they are now looking at the new, not-quite-as-good generation. Gibson, Macheda, Sturridge, Kakuta etc etc. Talented lads for sure, but no ‘aura’.
The money isn’t there and clubs who’ve grown organically through investment in youth over a number of years are at the front of the queue to take advantage. Lets not forget, had it not been for an inexplicable collapse, Arsenal would be top of the league right now. One, albeit painful defeat, doesn’t mean they can’t go top next week, such is the nature of this season/league.
Tottenham too, with players who’ve been there for 3-5 years and more (Hudd, Mods, Daws, Gomes, BAE, Lennon, Bale, Defoe and Kaboul (with a break)) were assembled for relatively little money and the spirit, priceless, is there between them. Add the extra quality of vdv and one or two more shrewd signings and who knows?
The future’s bright, the future’s lilywhite.
cant believe we DID it!! us the yids now we ll have to wait another dozen years (if were lucky) for a moment like this.being level on points with bolton is are biggest achievment yet.Just imagine if arsenal had to make a DVD evrytime they beat us their wont be enought CD s in the world, hahaha fuckin yidssss
Make your fuckin mind up, do you want a DVD or not?
Love the blog! Good win for spurs and looking forward to Wednesday! All i have to say is Arsenal need Spurs and Spurs need Arsenal- without each other it just wouldn’t be the same! If spurs were to move to Stratford, us fans will not be the only ones upset…!
Great post! I actually put my money on spurs this round, cause I think we can beat any team in the world. Tottenham was outplayed all over the field in the first half, and we can only thank Gallas for not letting Arsenal slip through more than they did! Second half Tottenham simply just played better than Arsenal, no question about it! Tottenham has the best midfield in Premier League, but lacks a better defence. I’m looking forward to see who “the boss” brings in to our team i january.
With the confidence of this round I think we will crush Liverpool in the next!